Garment folding equipment



Sept. 16, 1952 J. w. STEELE GARMENT FOLDING EQUIPMENT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 21, 1950 INVENTOR.- J l kfifee/e, BYCQW J. W. STEELE GARMENT FOLDING EQUIPMENT Sept. 16, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 21 1950 unnmmmmrl ITII'III'III'IIIITIII H" v Q INVENTOR; J W. Wee/ ATTORNEK Sept. 16, 1952 J. w. STEELE ,7

GARMENT FOLDING EQUIPMENT 7 Filed Dec. 21, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A TTORNEX Patented Sept. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs GARMENT r032 EQUIPMEN'I M James W. Steele; North Kansas City, Mo. Application December 21, 1950, Serial No; 201,946

The present invention relates to garment folding apparatus, with particular reference to the type of equipment provided with folding devices designed for laundry finishing operations in which a shirt or other finished garment is requiredto be neatly folded into compact'finished formas a necessary step in connection with packaging operations or the like.

A special object of the invention is to devise improved folding equipment in a single and unique form of apparatus adapted for convertible or alternative types of folding operation, whereby provision is made for carrying out not only the necessary folding operation or movements as required for the so-called long and narrow type of fold as in the conventional type of men's shirts, but which is also adapted by certain improved features of construction to carryout readily and eificiently theprocess of folding'movements as required for producing the relatively shorter and wider folds in mens garments, such as sport shirts, pajamas etc,., for which purpose the folding elements of the improved apparatus arearranged to be readily adjusted for the carrying out of either form of folding operation as desired, or according to requirements.

In its present improved and preferred form, the invention comprises a construction providing a table or supporting surface especially adapted for the carrying out ofeither of the types of folding operation referred to, including provision for accommodating either the conventional form of mens dress shirt in folding position, or the sport or pajamas type of garmentrequiring the shorter and wider 'foldingoper'ation, Ac cordinglys'aid improved constructionfis characterized by an arrangement 'of ,folding or guide arms adapted to ass'um'evarious operative posi tions relative to the top or working] face of the table, as controlled by the operator, and including one set of such arms which are confined to. use only in connection with the folding of sport shirts and the like, and another set of arms adapted not only for carrying out the folding operation or process required for dress shirts but is also adjustable into position for cooperating with said first set of arms in carrying out the folding procedure as required for said sport types of men's garments.

Incidentally, the invention'is also directed to a type of garment folding equipment in which the construction is adapted for a folding procedure in which provision is made for the usual steps involvingTthe insertion of suitable cardboard or stiffening elements, aswell as'the application of 8 Claims. (Cl. 223-37) 2 wrapping bands, as may be desired in connection with the conventional wrapping or packaging procedure.

With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention will now be described in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating one of the preferred forms of construction which I have found to be both practical and eflicient for the accomplishment of the desired purposes of the invention as above indicated, after which larger scale) showing only the upper portion of said apparatus and representing certain of the folding or guide arms adjusted outwardly to different operative positions;

Figures 3 and 4 are similar perspective views illustrating still other operative positions or relations of said folding or guide arms, as hereinafter explained;

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating all of the folding or guide arms raised and thrown back into inoperative position, to disclose the table topstructure underlying the folding or hinge leaf member which carries the two sets'of folding or guide arms; y

Figure 6 is a detail view of said folding or hinge leaf member, illustrating .the connections therewith, of said folding or guide arms;

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view (on a larger scale), representing a section taken on the line of Figure 6 and Figure 8 is a detail sectional .view" representing a section taken on the line 88 of Figure 7.

The present improved apparatus, as illustrated in the aforesaid drawings, embodies certain improved features in the type of garment folding apparatus shown in my copending patent application Serial No. 178,041, filed August 7, 1950.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, and more particularly to Figure 1 thereof, this view represents a complete machine or apparatus embodying the present improved construction, comprising an upright body or framework I2 formed with a top or table portion [4 which provides the working or supporting surface forthe garment folding operation, while the interior of thebody or frame portion I 2 serves as a storage compartment i6 provided with a 3 shelf member I! for suitable supplies of material as required for use in connection with the folding operations.

The top surface or working face of the table I4 is specially constructed for the laying of a shirt or other garment thereon in fully-spread relation and with the front of the garment facing downward; and for accommodating the conventional form of dress shirt, the rear portion of the table top is provided with a collar form or recess l8 for receiving the collar portion of the shirt when the same is placed in position for folding; whereas, for accommodating the sport type of shirt an alternative form of shallow type of collar well or depression 22 is located between the collar recess l8 and the front of the table for receiving the collar portion of the sport type. of garment when the latter is positioned on the front portion of the table for the folding operation, all as shown in Figure of the drawings.

From this latter collar'recess or depression 22 a dado type of groove 24 extends to the ront edge of the table for the purpose of accommodating the button and buttonhole pleats of the garment when thus spread in folding position, thus facilitating the work of definitely alining the garment in true and accurate'position on the working face of the table, in preparation for the successive steps of the folding operation.

There is also provided'a set of friction strips or pads 26 of soft gripping material (such as rubber or felt) suitably located adjacent to the outer sides of the table, for preventing any casual sliding or slipping of the garment during the folding process; and extendin from the front to the rearof the table, between said friction pads 26 and the collar recesses {a and 22, are located a pair of grooves or channels 28 forming receptacles'in proper position for the storage of shirt wrappin bands 30 at a level below the top surface "of the table, thereby facilitating the lifting of said bands into position for applying the same at both ends of a folded sports type of garment. A similar groove or channel 28' is'also arranged crosswise of the table for holding a supply of the said bands 30 in readiness for applying the same to the folded dress type of shirt-finthe regular manner.

The. top or workin face of the table is still further provided at opposite front a pair of guide strips 34, in parallel relation, the distance between said strips corresponding'to the width to which the sports type of garment is to be folded. The front margin of the tableis also preferably provided withledge-like projections 36, adapted to define the first'transvers'e foldline of such garments, as well as to properly, con fine the garment in its initial folding position.

As in my aforesaid co-pendmgapplication, the present construction also employs a hinged leaf or panel member 40, carryin an assembly of folding or guide'arms which are adapted to be properly positioned for the carrying out of the desired garment folding operations In the present improved construction this hinged leaf and folding arm assembly comprises a leaf or panel member 40 which is hingedly mounted by means of a transversely extending hinge structure 4.2.at the rear of the table top l4, the width of said member 40..corresp'onding to the space between the channels or receptacles 28 for the bands 30, and the length of said lea f member 40 being such as to extend (when lowered into working position) to the forward ends of the friction strips or pads 26, these'dimensions corners: with representing approximately the width and length to which a dress type of shirt is to be folded.

Mounted for sliding movement upon the upper face of the leaf or panel member is a transverse plate 44 provided with a guide-block structure 46 which is mounted slidingly in a slot 48 extending from the hinge structure 42 and along the middle line of the leaf member 40 for approximately half its length. This transverse plate member 44 thus serves as an adjustable support for the folding and guide arms, all of which are of substantially the same length and are shown as comprising two pairs of arms, viz, an adjustable pair of arms 50 for use in both dress shirt folding and in sport shirt folding operations, and also an auxiliary .pair of arms 52 designed as a reserve feature for cooperating with the arms 50 in one of the operative positions of said arms 50, i. e., when the latter have been adjusted into position for sport-shirt folding. The inner hinge ends of this reserve pair of auxiliary arms 52 are mounted in hinge bearing elements 53, which are located at the outer rear corners of the'said transverse or sliding plate 44.

The construction which is provided for adapting the folding arms 50 'to be moved or shifted and set in their two different or alternative operative positions, is illustrated more particularly in Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings. This construction comprises a pair of hinge blocks 54 mounted for sliding adjustment along a pair of alined slots 56 formed in the transverse plate 44, each of said blocks 54 bein provided with a pair of bearing portions 58 for pivotally supporting the inner hinge end of one of the fold arms 50; also between each pair of bearings 58 is located a coil springffifl carried by the, corresponding hing end and so. engaged with the outwardly projecting portion of the arm as to actuate the same normally outward toward the side of the table. Thus the arrangement and construction of the two hinge mountings is such that the spring elements thereof tend to throw the two arms 50 normally outward, into their outwardly-spread relation, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 6.

For enabling the operator'to position the fold arms 50 in either of their. two operative. positions, i. e., either in their widest spread relation as represented in Figure 2 for ordinary dress shirt folding, or in their retracted position as represented in Figures 1, 3 and 4 for sport-shirt folding, each of the hinge blocks is provided with a manually-operative device. comprising a thumb or finger engaging knob 62 having a stem portion 63 carrying a dis}; element 64 engaging underneath the corresponding slot 56 and maintained in yielding engagement with the under side of the plate 44 by means of a coil spring 65, mounted on the stem portion 63. For securely latching the blocks 54 at the outer ends of the slotsjt, each of said slots is formed with a slight depression 68 (see Figures 7 and 8) forseating and anchoring the dislgeleme'nt 64 to securely retain the. block at. said outer end of the col-re;

spending slot, which conforms to the widestspreadrelation of the fold arms 50 as represented in Figure. 2.

It will therefore be apparent that the described construction is designed to secure proper placement of either dress shirts or sport garments for, the. folding operation and to retain the garment in a correctly alined statethroughout the folding process as performedby use ofeither of the two diiferentor alternative operative rev lationships of the fold arm assembly, according;

5. to the particular adjustments, as made by operator in charge of the apparatus.

Preparatory to the operation of folding'conventional dress shirts, and starting with the equipment as arranged in the view shown in Figure 1, the operator pushes the hinge leafor panel 40 (together with its fold arm assembly) to the rear of the table, and then adjusts the hinge blocks 54 carrying the pair of arms 50, by means of theknobs 62 for the purpose of sliding the blocks to the outer ends of the slots 56'-as represented in Figure 2, in which position the said blocks are securelyheld by the engagement of the disks 64 with the depressions or sockets 58. The panel "or leaf member 40 and itsarm assembly are then raised and swung rearward against an upright backstop member '10 provided at the 'rear ofthe apparatus, and at each side of which are also arranged receptacles I2, as well as a rack member l3 at the rearof said backstop, for the holding of'cardboard supplies 14 in convenient reachjof the operator; The space between these receptacles or holders 12 at the base of the backstop member 10 is also utilized for locating a type of cuff-folding means I5 in conveniently accessible relation to the folding operation.

In folding the conventional dress type of shirt the same is spread face-downward upon the table, with its collar portion inserted within the rear collar recess I8; and after insertion of the usual shirt-stiffening board the panel orleaf member 40 is swung back down, onto the garment, in which operation the auxiliary fold arms 52 remain in inoperative position at the rear, as illustrated in Figure 2. The shirt is then folded in accordance with the usual method, by the operators movements combined with the successive inward folding of the arms 50, for producing the long and narrow type of fold for such conventional or dress type of shirt. In this connection, suitable stops or buffers 16 are arranged at the sides of the table for engagement by the arms 50 when the latter are swung outward into their outermost positionsas shown in Figure 2.

In changing from the operation of folding regular dress shirts to the operation of folding sport shirts or the like, the operator simply depresses the knobs 62 and then pushes the hinge blocks 54 inwardly or toward each other, as represented by the intermediate position indicated in Figures 6 and '7 and also the final adjusted position of said blocks and the corresponding or new position of the fold arms 50 (in approximate alinement with the guide strips 34), as shown in Figure 3. The operator then pushes the crossplate 44, carrying the fold arm assembly, forward to the position illustrated in Figure 4, which thus provides a folding equipment that is adapted for the carrying out in all respects the same method of folding operation for the sports type of garments as outlined and set forth in my aforesaid co-pending application Serial No. 178,041, filed August '7, 1950.

It will thus be apparent that I have devised a practical and most efficient form of apparatus for attaining all the aforesaid objects of my invention, as regards a unitary equipment having the necessary convertible" features for embracing all the operative means required for the folding of both dress and sport types of garments, all within the same unitary apparatus; and in this connection it is further important to note that an outstanding advantage characterizes said improved construction by virtue of the fact that substantially the same size of reinforcing or stiffenthe ing cardboards may be utilized for both foldins procedures, thereby resulting in a major factor of economy or savings in 'connection-with the costoutlay involved in this-particular industry-to which the present invention" and improvements arerelated; I j

From the foregoing it will therefore be apparent that 'I have devised'a practicaland comparatively very simple construction for the carrying out of the several purposes of the'invention as hereinstated; and while I have shown and described what I now regard as one of the preferred forms of construction for embodying my novel and improved features, I nevertheless desire tobe understood asexpressly reserving the right to make whatever changes or modifications may fairly 'b'e 'deemedto fall within the'spirit' and scope of my invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

i WhatIclaimis': W "ljGarment-folding apparatus comprising, in combination, table member, a movable leaf member hingedly mounted on said'table member for swinging movementinto and outfof operative relation to the upper working face of the table, and a set of garment folding and guide arms pivotallymoun'ted on said leaf member and also slidably adjustable'thereon into different operative positions; both longitudinallyand trans-- versely with reference to said leaf member. f 2. Folding]- apparatus for shirts, andlik; garments comprising, in combination with a tablemember,--"ale af member hingedly mounted on. said table member for swinging movement into and out of garment folding relation to the upper face of said table, a pair of arment folding arms carried by said leaf member and slidingly adjustable thereon into different spread relations for varying types of the garment folding operation, and supplemental folding arms also hingedly supported by said leaf member for independent movement into co-operative relation to said first folding arms for producing one of said types of folding operation.

3. Garment folding apparatus comprising, in. combination, a table member, a movable leaf member adapted to be swung into and out of operative relation to the upper working face of the table, a set of garment folding and guide arms pivotally mounted on said leaf member and also slidable thereon into different operative positions transversely of said leaf member, and a second set of folding and guide arms movable into position relatively to said working face of the table for cooperating with said first set of arms in one of the adjusted positions of the latter in the garment folding operation.

4. Garment folding apparatus comprising, in combination, a table member, a movable leaf member adapted to be swung into and out of operativ relation to the working face of the table, a pair of garment folding and guide arms pivotally mounted on said leaf member and also slidably adjustable thereon into different operative positions transversely of said leaf member, and a second set of folding and guide arms movable with said flrst set of arms into position for cooperating therewith in one of the adjusted operative positions of said first set of folding arms.

5. Garment folding apparatus comprising, in combination, a table member, a movable leaf member adapted to be swung into and out of operative garment folding relation tothe upper working face of the table, two independently mounted sets of folding and guide arms carried be 951 lea!- were; and; slis i ly adiqsiable m me. W59 q f srenfi lee mdinal nos fi l w th sisiem i t9 s id le membee and @11 f said se ei mes being a s s iq$ a 2 ransve w of aslleaflmember f r garme t ieldin owe on either independently of or in coope agi gn with we fir t se Qt a m 0; dit fezen ype 9? ge ms; iqlq esf mqec s s.

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8} Ga m n mldin pp a u cq nris nm. in qqmb itim, a, we me he a m ieb e a m m i'eda t d i be q d' nk! an o t at es ative s im t-fql ne rela on. to he, p er Wor nga Q e t bl a se o arm nt. 1 dms. and guid ar s n a 'm n i? 'mf inb r find. also i e th n n i ere if mti e" n s ti s trans s y f ai leafmemb j ia eq d set Q o n n g id arms independent ly movable into position reletiye to said working face of the table for QQOPGI'! jin 'fw h sa first Se of arms n n Q'tth di i ed 'Yvw n pe t c s M h latter in the gei ment ioldiiig operation, and means ior latching end securing said first set of arms in one Q! h e iust p ati e. poe q o s d a ms- Name Date 

